MSU Billings chancellor search down to final four, including current interim

The finalists for Montana State University-Billings chancellor include the current interim chancellor and candidates from Colorado, Texas and Wisconsin.

University officials announced today the candidates will visit Billings for interviews and open public forums between Feb. 20 and Feb. 26. While on campus, they will meet with administrators, faculty, representatives from alumni relations and the foundation, and student groups from across the university.

The finalists are, in order of their visits to campus:

Carmen Simone, president of Trinidad State Junior College in Trinidad and Alamosa, Colorado;

Dan Edelman, executive vice president of administration and chief financial officer of the University of North Texas at Dallas;

Susan Elrod, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater; and

Ron Larsen, interim chancellor of Montana State University Billings.

John Cech, search committee chair and deputy commissioner of academic, research, and student affairs for Montana’s Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education led the 18 member search team.

“The campus and the community will enjoy meeting these finalists,” Cech said. “This is a very strong slate of finalists.”

The university hopes to have the new chancellor beginning July 1.

Here is a bio of each, provided by MSUB:

Simone is the president of Trinidad State Junior College in Trinidad and Alamosa, Colorado, a post she has held since 2013. Simone holds a doctorate in chemistry from Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Prior to her presidency at Trinidad State Junior College, Simone was provost and vice president for academic affairs at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, from 2011 to 2013. Simone’s open forum will be held at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, in Library 148.

Edelman is currently the executive vice president of administration and chief financial officer of the University of North Texas at Dallas, a post he has held since 2014. Edelman holds a doctorate in mathematics education with an accounting related dissertation from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. Prior to his vice presidency at the University of North Texas, Edelman held progressive leadership positions at Texas A&M University in Commerce, Texas, between 2007 and 2014 culminating in a position as associate provost and vice president of academic affairs. Edelman’s open forum will be held at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, in Library 148.

Elrod is currently provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, a post she has held since 2016. Elrod holds a doctorate in genetics from the University of California, Davis. Prior to serving as provost at the University of Wisconsin, Elrod was interim provost and vice president for academic affairs at California State University, Chico, from 2014 to 2016. Elrod’s open forum will be held at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, in Library 148.

Larsen is currently the interim chancellor of Montana State University Billings, a post he has held since 2017. Larsen holds a doctorate in chemical engineering from Pennsylvania State University in State College. Prior to serving as interim chancellor at Montana State University Billings, Larsen was associate provost at Montana State University in Bozeman from 2011 to 2017. Larsen’s open forum will be held at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, in Library 148.